If you haven't read our earlier article, we discussed how the intense heat in the United Arab Emirates and continuous exposure to cold, dry air from air conditioners can gradually erode your skin's protective layer. We described the actual effects on your skin of being encircled between these two hostile environments. Since identifying the issue is only half the battle, let's go on to the next phase. In order to keep your skin barrier healthy, hydrated, and comfortable throughout the year, we'll be sharing easy and useful daily routines in this blog.
Living in the United Arab Emirates means that you are always alternating between two extremes: the scorching 45°C summer heat outside and the cold office air conditioning or mall indoors. Your skin barrier suffers as a result of this back and forth, becoming tight, dry, or more prone to irritation. However, you can help your skin remain firm, pleasant, and healthy all year long by adopting the following few wise everyday practices.
1. Cleanse Gently, Twice a Day
Your skin barrier may be seriously harmed by harsh cleansers. They deprive your skin of the natural oils that serve as its natural barrier, which makes it more difficult for it to retain moisture. Because of this, your skin may eventually become tight, rough, and more vulnerable to the dry, cold air within and the scorching UAE heat outdoors. A mild, moisturizing cleanser that cleans without drying out is preferable. Sweat combined with dust and pollution can clog your pores and cause breakouts, so this is especially crucial after being outside.
💡 Tip: Your skin is still exposed to unseen irritants like indoor dust, bacteria, and product residue, even if you've been indoors with heavy air conditioning all day and your skin doesn't feel "dirty." Cleaning at night helps get rid of these concealed particles before they can harm your skin barrier while you're asleep.
2. Moisturize Within Minutes After Washing
Transepidermal water loss is the rapid loss of water from your skin that occurs immediately after washing your face or taking a shower. Applying a cream or lotion when your skin is still slightly damp will help to retain that moisture. Seek out recipes that contain substances that increase barriers, such as:
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Ceramides: Your skin naturally produces these lipids to maintain the strength of its barrier. Ceramides make up almost half of your skin's outer layer, but heat, low humidity, and continuous air conditioning in the United Arab Emirates can cause them to deplete more quickly. This protective layer is restored by using ceramide-rich lotions, which keeps your skin hydrated and smooth.
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Glycerin: A humectant that keeps your skin plump by drawing water from the atmosphere into it, even in dry indoor air.
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Hyaluronic Acid: A moisture magnet that can retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water, is ideal for preventing dryness brought on by prolonged exposure to the sun or air conditioning.
💡 UAE Hack: To protect and revitalize your skin, carry a tiny moisturizer in your purse and use it after your workout, noon prayers, or even after you've splashed water on your face.
3. Protect Your Skin from the Sun - Every Day
The UAE's sun can seriously harm your skin barrier even if you're only going outside for a short while, such as when you're running errands or walking from your car to the mall. This region consistently has some of the harshest ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the globe, which can penetrate deeply into your skin and break down the collagen and elastin that maintain your skin firm and young. Your skin's natural defenses are weakened by this damage, which makes it simpler for irritants to enter and moisture to depart. Even on overcast days, it is crucial to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every morning. Remember to reapply every two hours to ensure protection if you want to spend a lot of time outside.
💡Additional Protection: Under the harsh midday sun, physical barriers like wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses are your best friends in addition to sunscreen. They protect your face and eyes from damaging rays and offer shade, which helps to maintain your skin's protective layer and delay the signs of premature aging.
4. Stay Hydrated from the Inside
Although air conditioning is a lifesaver in the intense heat of the United Arab Emirates, it has a drawback in that it dries out indoor air, frequently reducing humidity to uncomfortably low levels below 30%. Even if you spend the majority of the day indoors, this dry atmosphere causes your skin to lose moisture more quickly than usual, leaving it feeling tight, harsh, and dehydrated. Because of this, it's crucial to moisturize your skin on a regular basis, but internal hydration is also important. Throughout the day, drinking lots of water enhances your body's natural capacity to maintain a healthy skin barrier and keeps your skin cells hydrated.
💡Local Tip: Try adding fresh ingredients like cucumber slices and mint leaves to plain water if it seems difficult to drink. In addition to making drinking water more pleasurable, this gives it a cool twist that is ideal for the hot weather in the UAE. To stay hydrated and refreshed wherever you go, keep a bottle of flavored water with you or keep a jug in your refrigerator.
5. Create a “Barrier-Friendly” Night Routine
The best time for your skin to heal and renew is while you're sleeping. Your skin barrier is weakened during the day by exposure to the sun, pollutants, and the dry air from air conditioners. This natural healing process is supported by applying nourishing creams, face oils, or overnight masks before bed, which offer vital nutrients and moisture. In order for your skin to wake up feeling soft, renewed, and resilient, these treatments reduce irritation, rebuild your skin barrier, and seal in moisture.
💡Comfort Tip: Even while you're sleeping, a powerful air conditioner in your bedroom may cause the air to dry up and dehydrate your skin. By adding much-needed moisture back into the air at night, a humidifier makes the atmosphere more skin-friendly. Despite the desert heat, this easy addition to your nightly routine helps avoid dryness and irritation so you wake up with a healthier, more radiant skin.
In Conclusion
Your skin barrier is constantly challenged in the UAE's distinct climate, both indoors and out. Your skin requires extra care to be balanced and protected, whether you're spending hours in air-conditioned workplaces, malls, or cars, or you're enduring the harsh midday sun. You're providing your skin the resources it needs to be comfortable, moisturized, and healthy by including these easy daily routines into your daily routine. By doing this, your skin will be more resilient to the drying effects of heat and air conditioning, which will lessen sensitivity, redness, and irritation. With continuous care, you'll have a resilient, radiant complexion that feels fed and renewed, enabling you to handle whatever challenge the desert climate presents without worry or discomfort.
